Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1887-12-01
s9ooM.coRN GROWING.
A Crop That Requires Considerable Work
and Expense.


and Expense.
Broom-corn can be grown in almost
every part of the United States. I'm.
less the crop can be held over when
prices are low, broOm-corn growing
can not be recommended. as the price
of no other crop fuctuates more
from forty to three hundred dollars
per ton. Also, on heavy clay soil,
or on foul land. it will hardly be
profitable. 1t is crop that requires
so much work that its average cost
will be from fifteen to twenty dollars
per acre. The average yield per acre
is six hundred pounds. There are only
two varieties worth growing. Tho
Dwarf variety. which grows only three
to four feet high, is little cultivated, its
brush being used only for whisks and
clothes-brushes. The Evergreen. Mis-
souri,. or Tennessee is the standard
variety. 1t yields long. fine brush.
and retains its green color till the
seeds ripen. Broom-corn requires
more warmth than Indian corn. hence
does best on a sandy or black loan
soil. and in the North the ground
should be plowed in the fall or
very early in the spring, and put in
fine filth for the crop. But nothing is
gained by planting before the ground
is warm. 1t is of the utmost inn
portance to get good seed; select the
best seed. '.swim it, and reject all
that floats. On very clean lard it may
be put in drills three feet apart, tho
stalks in the drills three to four inches
apart. Otherwise plant in lows three
feet apart, hills two feet apart in the
row. six to eight stalks in the HILL and
drop only enough, for thinning is d
tedious, hard job. Cover lightly. not
deeper than an inch. Its cultivation
is the same as for Indian corn, but
must be thorough. Usually at least
one hoeing will be required. The
ground must be clean and mellow
when the crop is young.
The care in harvesting of few other
crops has as much effect upon the
profit. The brush must not be allowed
to lie in the rain, or be moved too
green, nor must the seed be allowed to
ripcn. The seed is fairly good stock
food, but if allowed to ripen the value
of the brush is reduced more than the
seed is worth. Begin cutting as soon
as the blossom falls; then the brush
will be heaviest and have the best
color. First comes ''tabling"-break-
ing two rows at about two feet from
the ground (by man going backward
between them) and laying them across
each other, SO that all the brush pro-
jects into the space between the tables;
this may be done and yet the stalks be
ut such en- angle that the table will
support the brush when cut. To cut
properly, be careful not to catch the
leaf; place the knife against the stalk
about eight inches from the brush. and
draw the brush, not the knife. The
blade must not be taken off with the
brush. As the brush is cut it is laid
on the table, and then hauled in wag-
ons to be scraped. In scrapirg, sep
arate the crooked brush from the
straight The scraping is done on a
small cylinder. like that of threshing
machine, but no concave is used. and
it is run from the operator. The power
may be a one or two horse power.
Scraping is to take off the seed. The
scrapod brush must be cured under
shelter. Any building or shed through
which there is free circulation of air
will answer. 1t is best to construct
racks upon which to lay the brush. as
when green it should not be more than
three inches deep; but as it becomes
partly cured. more brush may be laid
upon it.-Amcricdn Agriculturist.